Supervisory mechanism



E. C. HEALY AND a. P. SCHMIDT.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

UNilTED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ELLIS c. nanny, ornasr cannon, new JERSEY, AND GODFREY r. SCHMIDT, or NEW YORK; N. Y., AssIGNoRs 'ro newt-ran cLooK COMPANY, INC, on NEW YORK, N. Y.,

. A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

surnnvrsony MECHANISM.

T 0 all who met may cancer Be it known that we, ELLIS C. HEAL? and Gonrnny P. Sornirnrr, both citizens oi the United States, residing at East Orange, county of Essex, and State 01? New Jersey, and Bronx, county of Bronx, and State of New York, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supervisory Mechanism, o1 which the following is axfull, clear, and exact description.

The inventionv hich constitutes the subject matter of this application relates to a supervisory mechanism adapted to be connected to a valve for controlling access to a recording device. The construction of said mechanism is such that when the valve is in normal position access may be had to a recording key but it the valve is not in its normal position the key is rendered inaccessible. As each of these valves (or stations) is equipped with a key a time imprint may be made on record dial of a watchmans clock which indicates the time at which the station wasvisited by the watchman. So long as these imprints are made at the required intervals, as shown by the record dial, it is a sure indication that each ofthe valves at those particular times was in normal position. But if the imprint of a certain station is omitted from the record dial it would be an equally sure indication that the key at that station was inaccessible and therefore the valve was not in normal condition. of course it it is a part of the watchmans duty to move the valve from its abnormal back to its normal position he could then make the imprint. In any event the device will have served its purpose.

More specifically the invention has to do with mechanism for this purpose which is simple, in construction, easy. and inexpensive to manufacture, and reliable in operation. One of the important requirements of devices otthis character is that they must be provided with mechanism that will render the recording instrument inaccessible upon the iirst'few turns of the valve stem from normal position and it is one of the objects of our invention to provide simple, positive and reliable mechanism for transmitting only the initial movement of the valve to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1819.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Serial No. 288,468.

record producing means and thereafter locking said record producing means against further movement. To accomplish this it is also desirable to provide said mechanism with means for imparting a multiplied action to the movement of said record producing means. I

In the. drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a. side View or" the entire apparatus, certain portions of the valve and certain parts of the recording mechanism being broken .away to show interior constructions. The various parts are illustrated in their normal position; that is with the valve entirely open.

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the position of the certain parts when the valve is closed or partly so.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

I Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of details; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

eterring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 designates the water supply to the sprinkler coming from any suitable pipe or main (not shown). Located in this supply is a valve 11 provided with a yoke 12, a threaded sleeve 13 rotatably mounted in t-heyoke, a valve stem 14 screw threaded to the sleeve 13 and a manipulating hand wheel 15 fixed to the sleeve 13 and adapted to rotate the sameinorder to impart longitudinal movement to the valve stem 1% and the gate valve (not shown) at tached thereto. 7

The valve stem 14 projects substantially above themanipulat-ing Wheel 15 and surrounding this upwardly projecting portion is. a sleeve 16 screw threaded or otherwise rigidly secured to a base 17 which is in turn fixed, as by bolts 18, to the hand wheel 15. This sleeve is swivelled by means of the members 19 and 20 to one end of; a rigid tubular member 21, the other end of said member being connected by any suitable means to the container 22.

-The mechanism we havejust described constitutes no part of the invention of the present application except so far as it is a part of the patentable combination with the novel features which we shall now proceed to describe.

Within the tubular member 21 is contained a flexible liner 23 (see Fig. 2), the length or which, as will be apparent from the drawing, is substantially the same as the length of the tubular member 21. Within the liner 23 is a flexible and tubular wire coil 24 which fits the liner rather snugly and within this coil is a flexible rod 25. The corresponding ends or terminals of the coil 24 and rod 25 are secured to each other, and in turn to the valve stem 14 and slidable member 26 respectively. The object of the liner 23 is to avoid any backlash in the back and forth movement of the members 24 and 25. The employment of two members 21 and 23 enables the use of standard materials throughout the connection between the valve stem 14 and the container 22. It will therefore be clear that a single specially constructed tubular member may be substituted for the tubular member 21 and its liner 23. The employment of the flexible tube 24 made up of closed coils gives sufficient rigidity to prevent those portions of the rod 25 which project from the liner 23, from buckling. In theor at least it may also be said that the tubu ar coil 24 serves to move the slidable member 26 in one direction and the rod 25 serves to move said slidable member in the other direction. In other words, the combined action of these two members 24 and 25 is such that any movement of the valve stem will result in a corresponding movement of the slidable rack member 26.

\Vithin the container 22 is a rotatable or pivoted shaft 27 to which is rigidly secured 3, that is to say, it is available for making a record upon the record dial of a watchmans clock to indicate, for instance, that the valve 11 is open. When the valve is closed or partly so the position assumed by the key and the various associated parts is illustrated in Fig. 2 with the key inaccessible for making a record.

The rack member 26 is provided with a plurality of teeth normally engaging with the teeth on the mutilated gear 28 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. When the valve 11 is being moved from its full open position towards its closed position the gear is rotated until the mutilated portion comes into contact with smooth or plain portions of the rack bar, thus permitting the continuation of the movement of the rack member 26 and locking the gear against further rotation. The gear 28 being fixed, as it is, to the shaft I 27 the latter, during the rotation of the gear,

is of course also rotated carrying with it the arm 29 and cam 30 to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. This of course requires at most only a few turns of the valve stem.

When the parts are in the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the nose 31 of the cam 30 will be positioned in the path of the stud 32 on the downward movement of the rack 26, the relationship being such that the stud 32 engages the nose 31 to impart at the proper movement a sufiicient reverse movement of rotation to the gear to enable the first tooth 33 to engage the first space 34 of the rack (see Fig. 4). It is desirable to have that number and arrangement of teeth on the rack as will bring the mutilated portion of the gear to the position shown in Fig. 2. Below this point on the rack the latter is smooth to lock the gear against any further rotation. In other words the gear is locked from further movement in a fashion somewhat similar to the locking action in the well known Geneva movement.

Any suitable means may be employed for guiding the rack in its reciprocating movement. The preferred form of such mechanism, however, is that illustrated which consists of a plate 35 suitably secured to the rear wall of the receptacle and provided with a plurality of guide lugs 36 projecting forwardly therefrom and overlapping the edges of the rack member.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that if a slight closing movement is imparted to the valve the arm 29 will be rotated from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to the position indicated in Fig. 2. As the recording key 31 is connected by the chain 37 to the outer end of this arm it will be seen that it will be moved from its accessible position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 to its inaccessible position illustrated in Fig. 2, and from the very construction of the device itself it will be seen that a slight movement of the valve stem will result in a substantial movement in, the recording key.

The construction of the container 22 may of course take any number of forms but we prefer the form illustrated herein in which the key, key chain and the arm 29 to which the chain is connected are located in a compartment 38 separate and distinct from the compartment 39 in which the rincipal parts of the mechanism are con ned, these compartments being separated from each other by means of the partition wall 40. The construction of the container in this fashion prevents-tampering with the vital parts of the mechanism. The mechanism for rendering the record producing means inoperative (or operative as the case may be) to produce a record is all located in the container 22, the actuation of which is effected by mechanism contained in the tubular member 21 and connected to the valve stem. Particular attention is called to the fact that all the operative or movable parts are concealed or enclosed to prevent tampering therewith.

It will of course be understood that the recording device may be made to operate after any predetermined number of revolutions of the valve from normal position. There is illustrated in the drawings a valve which is normally open, but it is obvious that the system may be employed equally as well with a valve normally closed.

It will be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction of the preferred embodiment of our invention as herein described and illustrated, as many changes may be made and other embodiments resorted to without deviating from the true spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a supervisory mechanism, a valve provided with a stem, means for imparting a longitudinal movement to said stem to move said valve from its normal position, and a device normally accessible for making a record, in combination with means connected to said stem and said recording means for rendering the latter inaccessible for making a record, comprising a movable rack bar connected to the valve stem and provided with a toothed and a plain portion on one side thereof, a mutilated gear the teeth of which normally mesh with the teeth of the rack and the mutilated portion of which in operation is brought opposite the plain portion to lock the recording means against further movement but enabling the continued movement of the valve.

2. In a supervisory mechanism, a valve provided with a stem, means for imparting a longitudinal movement to said stem to move said valve from its normal position, and a device normally accessible for making a record, in combination with means for rendering the recording means inaccessible for making a record, comprising a rack bar movableby the movement of said stem and provided with a toothed and a plain portion on one side thereof, a mutilated gear the teeth of which normally mesh with the teeth of the rack to enable it to be operated to a limited extent by the latter and the mutilated portion of which is adapted to be engaged by the plain portion of the rack to lock it against further movement, and means connected to said recording device and actuated by the movement of said gear.

In a supervisory mechanism, a valve provided with a stem, means for imparting a longitudinal movement to said stem to move the valve from its normal position, and a device normally accessible for making a record, in combination with means for rendering the recording means inaccessible for making a record comprising a movable rack bar provided with a toothed and a plain portion on one side thereof, a

mutilated gear the teeth of which are normally in mesh with the teeth of the rack and the mutilated portion of which is adapted upon rotation of the gear to engage with the plain portion of the rack and be locked thereby against further movement but permitting a continued movement of the rack bar, means connected to said recording device and actuated by the movement of said gear, and means actuated by the movement of the valve stem for operating the rack bar.

a. In a supervisory mechanism, a valve provided with a stem, means for imparting a longitudinal movement to said stem to move the valve from its normal position, in combination with a recording device nor mally accessible for making a record, movable mechanism connected to said device to render the latter inaccessible for making a record, a member movable by the longitudinal movement of said valve stem, and a lost motion connection between said movable member and said mechanism, comprising a mutilated gear and a rack, whereby only the initial movement of the valve stem is imparted to said recording means.

5. In a supervisory mechanism for sprinkler or other systems, a valve, a device normally accessible for making a record, and means for rendering said device inaccessible comprising movable mechanism to which said device is connected, a member connected to and movable by the longitudinal movement of said valve stem, and a lost motion connection between said movable member and said movable mechanism, comprising a mutilated gear and a rack, whereby only the initial movement of said valve from normal position is imparted to said device.

6. The combination with a valve provided with an operating member and a valve stem operated thereby, of a normally operative record producing means, and means actuated by the movement of said stem from its normal position for preventing operation of said record producing means, said means comprising a part attached to and movable longitudinally with said valve stem, a member reciprocated by said part, mechanism to which said record producing means is connected, and a lost mot-ion connection be tween said member and mechanism whereby only a part of the movement of said valve is imparted to said record producing means.

7. T he combination with a valve provided with an operating member and a valve stem operated thereby, of a normally operative record producing means, and means actuated by the movement of said stem from its normal position for preventing operation of said record producing means, said means comprising a flexible device attached to the end of the valve stem and movable longitudinally thereby, a member movable by said device, mechanism including a mutilated gear to which said record producing means is connected, and a lost motion connection between said member and mechanism consisting of rack teeth on said member normally in mesh with the teeth on said mutilated gear.

8. The combination with a valve provided with a stem and an operating member for actuating said stem to move the valve from its normal position, of a normally operative record producing means, mechanism for actuating said record producing means, longitudinally movable means attached to and actuated by the movement of said stem, and a lost motion connection between said mechanism and movablemeans comprising means for transmitting the initial movement of said valve to said record producing means, and also means for thereafter locking said record producing means against further movement.

9. The combination with a valve provided with a stem and an operating member for actuating said. stem to move thevalve from normal position, and a normally operative record-producing means, of a container, mechanism in said container for actuating said record producing means, longitudinally movable means in said container attached to and actuated by the movement of said stem, and a lost motion connection between said mechanism and movable means com prising means for transmitting only the initial movement of said valve to said record producing means and also means for there after locking said record producing means against further movement.

10. The combination with a valve provided with a stem and an operating member for actuating said stem to move the valve from normal position, and anormally operative record producing means, of a container, mechanism in said container for actuating said record producing means, longitudinally movable means in said container attached to and actuated by the movement of said stem, and a lost motion connection between said mechanism and movable means comprising means for transmitting only the initial movement of said valve to said record producing means to render the latter inaccessible tor making a record.

11. The combination with a valve pro vided with a stem and an operative mem ber for actuating said stem to move the valve from normal position, and a normally operative record producing means, of a container, mechanism located in said container and actuated by the movement of said valve for rendering said record producing means inoperative for making a record, said mechanism comprising means for transmitting only the initial movement of said valve to the record producing means to render the latter inoperative for making a record.

12. The conibinatlon with a valve provided with a stem and an operating member for actuating said stem to move the valve from normal position, and a normally operative record producing means, ot a contamer, mechanism located in said container and actuated by the movement oi said valve for rendering said record producing means inoperative for making a record, said mechanism comprising means for transmitting only the initial movement of said valve to the record producing means to render the latter inoperative for making a record, and also comprising means for imparting to said record producing means a movement in excess of said initial movement of the valve.

13. A supervisory mechanism comprising a valve provided with a stem, means for imparting a longitudinal movement to said stem to move said valve from its normal position, in combination with a container, mechanism within said container and actuated by the movement of said valve, said mechanism comprising a reciprocating rack, a mutilated gear normally meshing with said rack and movable by the latter, and a normally accessible recording device rendered inaccessible by the actuation of said gear.

141. A supervisory mechanism comprising a valve provided with a stem, means for imparting a longitudinal movement to said stem to move said valve from its normal position, in combination with a container, mechanism within said container connected to and actuated by the movement of said valve, said mechanism comprising a reciproeating rack, a mutilated gear normally meshing with said rack and movable by the latter, a normally accessible recording device rendered inaccessible by the actuation of said gear, and means connected to said gear and to said recording device for imparting a substantial movement to the latter relative to the movement of the valve.

15. A supervisory mechanism for valves comprising in combination, a valve, a longitudinally slidable bar, means controlled by actuation of said valve for actuating said bar, a pivoted arm, a watchmans key connected to said arm by a flexible connection, and means connected to said arm and cooperating with said bar for locking said arm against movement to prevent manual actuation of said key when said bar is in a predetermined position.

16. A supervisory mechanism for valves comprising in combination, a valve, a longitudinally slidable bar, means controlled by actuation of said valve for actuating said bar, a pivoted arm, a watchmans key connected thereto and accessible or inaccessible depending on the position of said arm, a

rock shaft to which said arm is secured, and in claim 2 in which the rack bar is connected a cam secured to said rock shaft and opert0 the valve stem by a flexible rod.

able by said bar. In testimony whereof We affix our signa- 10 17 A supervisorymechanism as specified tures.

in claim 1 in which the rack bar is connected to the valve stem by a flexible rod. ELLIS C. HEALY.

18. A supervisory mechanism as specified GODFREY P. SCHMIDT.

(Iertificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,407,814, granted February 28,

1922, upon the application of Ellis C. Healy, of East Orange, New Jersey, and

Godfrey P. Schmidt, of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Supervisory Mechanism, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 56, claim 11, for the Word operative read operating; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of April, A. 1)., 1922.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

I Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,407,814, granted February 28,

1922, upon the application of Ellis C. Healy, of East Orange, New Jersey, and

Godfrey P. Schmidt, of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Supervisory Mechanism, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 56, claim 11, for the word operative read operating; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of April, A. D. 1922.

[SEAL] I KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

